


The Deep Orange of Embers

by starfleetdicks



Series: McSpirkHolidayFest Prompt Fills [9]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Firefighters, M/M, Paramedic - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-02
Updated: 2017-04-02
Packaged: 2018-10-14 05:01:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10529469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starfleetdicks/pseuds/starfleetdicks
Summary: Spock woke before the alarm, suddenly aware that Jim was nosing at his chest and tangled completely with him. He sighed, rubbing Jim’s back absently and staring up at those glowing stars. They dimmed as the sun began to rise, illuminating Jim’s bedroom. The computer chair in the corner was decorated in what Spock hoped were clean clothes. One of the dresser drawers was cracked open, plaid lounge pants peeking out. The door to the bedroom was open too and Spock wondered if the floor just outside the threshold still creaked.Firefighter and paramedic AU fill for mcspirkholidayfest.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a mcspirkholidayfest prompt by anonymous: _Firefighters Jim and Spock, paramedic Bones. AOS please._
> 
> Title taken from "Sonoma Fire" by Jane Hirshfield.

Jim slumped in his seat, balancing a pencil on the bridge of his nose, while Spock sat straight-backed and attentive. It was a typical Tuesday night. Jim had taken to finding applicable night courses to refresh their training certifications and skills. Though Jim was also not-so secretly pursuing his Master of Science. Spock himself was already taking distance learning classes online for his second doctoral degree. Tonight, the professor was prattling on about CPR and first aid renewal. It was their third renewal class. One every two years for the last six. To say that Spock and Jim were over this certification renewal course was to understate things. 

Still, they endured. 

Spock flipped his book closed as they neared the end of class. Jim mouthed the professor’s every word before snorting and destabilizing the pencil. It hit the floor with a soft clatter but the rest of the class was loudly packing up. 

“Please take these pamphlets home. We’ll be practicing on the CPR manikins Thursday night. Avoid lipstick that night, if you please.” 

Jim groaned. “I hate the Resusci Annie. Always gives me nightmares.” 

“Well, considering the female manikins were based off a death mask--”

“--of an unidentified drowned girl blah blah. Yes, Spock. I know. Still creepy. That, in fact, makes it creepier so thanks for the reminder, buddy.” 

“The infants are worse in my humble opinion,” someone drawled from behind Spock. The desks behind their row were all abandoned and empty save for the man who had spoken, lazily packing his notebook. 

Spock took in the navy blue jumpsuit and the tell-tale patches adorning the chest and shoulders. _Paramedic_. He glanced at Jim, eyebrow raised. Jim looked equally interested, snatching up his pencil and the rest of his belongings. Spock beat him to the punch. “You’re on call even during a class?”

“Unfortunately. Taking extra shifts before I get reassigned. Going to be paired with a fire station as a Rescue Unit. Supposedly my reward for 7 years of dedicated service.”

Jim hummed thoughtfully, eyebrows going up. “Is working with a firefighter unit like a cushy job or something?”

The paramedic laughed and Spock found it a pleasant sound. “Well, cushy in the sense that I’ll only be on call at the fire station and work my unit’s hours. A little more stable. I got a little girl at home so...” He gave a half hearted shrug. 

Spock thought on his own work hours, even as a firefighter, and the countless relationships it had ruined for him. Jim, too, looked distant for a moment. His father had been a firefighter before him, dying during a rescue gone wrong, and Jim never did quite know how to articulate their relationship. 

Although, their fire chief had a long and successful marriage to their second in command. Chief Pike and Number One were paragons. 

“Gentlemen,” the teacher called impatiently. “I need to lock up.”

In the parking lot, it struck Spock that no one had exchanged names. “I’m Spock,” he offered without preamble, ignoring how Jim looked up with a smirk.

“Jim Kirk,” Jim offered, turning his grin at the paramedic as they slowed to a halt. 

“Leonard McCoy. Y’all seem to have figured I’m a paramedic.” Leonard plucked at his jumpsuit, rolling his eyes but smiling good naturedly. “What do you boys do?”

“Firefighters. Both at the six year mark. We’ve known each other since academy.” Jim threw an arm over Spock’s shoulder, yanking him close despite Spock’s best attempt at resisting the pull. 

“They’ve an academy for firefighting?” 

Jim’s grin grew wider, if possible. “Yeah. NFA in Maryland. Didn’t you do something fancy like that for paramedic school?”

Leonard shrugged. “I was a surgeon before I switched to paramedics. But I suppose you could consider UCLA’s paramedic program fancy.” Leonard let out another hearty laugh at Jim’s slack-jawed look. “That’s what you get for acting like hot shit. I’d love to hang around and hand you your cocky ass again but I gotta get going. Check on my kid before driving around in case of a call. See you Thursday.”

Jim slid into Spock’s car, yawning. “Shoulda asked which station he’s getting assigned to.”

Spock let the car warm up before driving toward Jim’s apartment to drop him off. There wasn’t a dedicated Rescue Unit at their facility but they did worked with dual firefighter-EMT professionals. Like every major city station, they were criminally understaffed. Another body was always welcome.

“Next time,” he assured Jim but Jim was already slumped forward, held barely upright by his seatbelt. 

Class Thursday was more of the same but at the very least, it drew them one day closer to being finished with their recertification. It also gave Spock another opportunity to talk with Leonard who walked out with them again.

“You said you had a child?” Spock asked and Jim coughed to try and hide his giggle. 

Leonard was gracious enough to ignore Jim as well and nod. The three of them walked slowly through the building. “Joanna. Only kid I’ve got. She’s ten next month.” 

“Congratulations,” Spock offered. 

“It must be hard on your family. You being a paramedic.” Jim kicked his feet on the laminate floor, a gray scuff mark following. “I know it’s been rough on my mom. My dad was a firefighter and then I took it up.” 

“Did they stay together?” Leonard leaned forward, looking past Spock to try and catch Jim’s eye. 

“Yeah. She stayed faithful even after his death.”

“Oh.” Leonard said, straightening back up. “In the line of duty?”

“Mm. It was ages ago. It happens in our line of work.” Jim shrugged and Spock reached out to touch the back of his hand. Jim smiled up at him. “Seriously, Spock, I’m fine. Anyway, we were asking about your family, not mine.”

Leonard chuckled and shrugged. “Well, your dad got lucky. My wife decided she couldn’t handle my career switch and we divorced when Joanna was six. Jo took it all rather well. Probably helps her momma and I don’t have many hard feelings over the whole thing. It was hard but amicable. We’ve come out of it better friends than anything.”

“That is extremely fortunate. I am sure Joanna will be fine as she gets older. My older brother had a similar experience and he has done well for himself, working as a principal engineer at NASA. My mother was my father’s second wife. He is currently courting his third. Our family functions well despite being unconventional.” Spock walked ahead to hold the door for Jim and Leonard.

“What a gentlemen,” Jim stage-whispered to Leonard before bowing to Spock and hurrying through the door. Leonard followed quietly, only inclining his head in thanks, clearly chewing over Spock’s family situation. 

Before Leonard could decide he wanted to know more, Jim tapped his shoulder. “By the way, I was wondering if you’d like to meet up for coffee this Sunday. Friday’s our last class so we wouldn’t get to see you otherwise.” Jim glanced up at Spock in a way that clearly said, if you had plans for Sunday, they are now canceled for this. 

Luckily, Spock had no plans. Though when Jim asked him out, he usually dropped any and all plans anyway. 

“You trying to get my number, Jim?” Leonard asked with a smirk. 

Jim planted a hand on his hip and mimed throwing long hair over his shoulder. “Well, I do declare, doctor. A little lady like me? Trying to weasel a man’s number off of him? I would never!” He put on his best southern belle impression and Leonard seemed delighted by it, laughing and pulling his cell out. 

“Yeah, alright, Sunday sounds good. Come on, now, I might as well hand it over after that performance.”

“Spock too?” 

“Spock too.” 

Jim settled into the driver’s seat of Spock’s car this time, waving goodbye to Leonard frantically as the paramedic’s minivan pulled away. He sighed and turned to Spock with a dreamy look, leaning against the steering wheel. “He’s cute.”

“He is,” Spock acknowledged. 

“Do you like him?” 

“I do not know him enough to have formed more than a cursory opinion, Jim. Do you?”

“I’d fake a drowning to get those lips on me, Spock.”

Friday’s class went by too quickly, owed in part to Spock’s decision to go into the station for a few hours to help the Chief with administrative things while Number One was out on maternity leave. By the time Spock realized they were done for the day and that Jim would want to talk with Leonard, they were already in his car. Jim shoved him sideways, over the center console, and into the passenger’s seat. 

“No way, pal. You’d kill us if I let you drive. Wanna crash at my place? I stuck some glow in the dark stars on the ceiling in my bedroom that look pretty stellar.” Jim waggled his eyebrows and poked at Spock’s stomach until finally Spock grunted something vaguely affirmative. 

Jim’s bed was soft, as always, and smelled faintly of lilacs. Not normal but not unpleasant. Spock snuggled into the far corner, not taking any note of the stars on the ceiling. “Safe?” He groaned into the pillow he had commandeered. 

“Yeah, we got here alright. Car’s locked up, don’t worry. Had to drag your ass in though. You’re literally the lankiest guy I know but you’re heavy as hell. What gives? What are you eating?”

“Muscle is more dense than fat,” Spock grunted, turning toward the sound of Jim’s voice in the dark. “Set an alarm.”

“Yes, darling. Lemme just change. Some of us don’t go to bed fully dressed. Speaking of.” Jim made quick work of his boots and socks, despite the dark room. “Lots of practice,” Jim said out loud, as if he could hear Spock’s thoughts. A few quiet beeps and Spock felt comfortable enough to close his eyes. At least the alarm was set. Jim scuttled under the covers next to him and sighed, tucking icy toes under Spock’s thighs. 

The room was silent except the hum of Jim’s humidifier and their own careful breathing. 

Spock woke before the alarm, suddenly aware that Jim was nosing at his chest and tangled completely with him. He sighed, rubbing Jim’s back absently and staring up at those glowing stars. They dimmed as the sun began to rise, illuminating Jim’s bedroom. The computer chair in the corner was decorated in what Spock hoped were clean clothes. One of the dresser drawers was cracked open, plaid lounge pants peeking out. The door to the bedroom was open too and Spock wondered if the floor just outside the threshold still creaked. 

It had been a month since Jim had last let him come over. Jim’s attentiveness to Spock came in waves. Between bed partners, he remembered his affection for Spock. And then suddenly Spock would be invited back for late night movies and sleepovers. It perhaps did not help the situation that Spock willingly endured every minute. 

He held Jim more tightly, wondering how long this break would last. Tomorrow, they would go see Leonard for coffee somewhere and, undoubtedly, Jim would charm him into a few shared nights. It was his own fault. Never was there a good moment to approach Jim about his own feelings. Harder still was knowing that he, too, found Leonard incredibly alluring. 

“Spock?” Jim groaned, stretching and rubbing his forehead against Spock, rucking his shirt up even more. 

“Jim, it is still early. You do not need to be up yet.”

“Yer’up.”

“Astute observation. If you let me go, I can make breakfast for you.”

There was such a long silence that Spock felt sure Jim had fallen asleep again. Finally, Jim unwound himself from Spock, burrowing back into the covers and using a pillow for cuddles. “Bacon,” the mass under the blankets demanded before going still again. 

Jim’s fridge, in complete contrast with his bedroom, was barren. Somehow a package of bacon had survived but there was nothing resembling a vegetable to be found. Spock crept back into the bedroom for his shoes and his emergency stash of overnight clothes. He changed in the entryway and retrieved his keys from on top of Jim’s sneakers. A quick trip to the store. Jim would probably sleep until his alarm went off and knowing Jim it was set for late in the morning. 

Spock didn’t appreciate how early it was until he stepped outside to see the still rising sun and the pink tinged dawn. He’d have to go to the 24 hour convenience store on the corner but at least it would be a quiet grocery trip. There were no cars zooming by and only one lonely jogger so spared him no glance. Spock felt strangely calm. The convenience store on the block was equally empty, as he had predicted. For ten blissful minutes, he filled his basket until a loud smash and a smattering of curses broke the buzzing silence of the store. 

Inexplicably drawn to the source of the noise, he stopped at the end of the alcohol aisle. 

Leonard McCoy was staring down in defeat at a smashed bourbon bottle at his feet. Already, a bored looking, freckled attendant was carrying a mop over. 

“I’m real sorry, kid,” Leonard mumbled. 

“It’s fine, sir. Happens all the time.”

“Leonard,” Spock hazarded and was heartened to see Leonard seemed glad when he looked up. He jogged to Spock’s side, giving him a weak smile to which Spock said, “An eventful morning?”

“Ugh.” He touched Spock’s elbow to steer him away from the aisle and Spock resolutely ignored the tingle that shot straight to the base of his neck. “Don’t. All I wanted was something to unwind with later since Jo is with her momma. Fancy seeing you here though. Live close?”

“Jim does.”

A funny look crossed over Leonard’s face and Spock felt he knew what Leonard was thinking but not saying. “You two, uh, well...?”

Spock gave him a long look until Leonard was shuffling uncomfortably into the cookie aisle, grabbing at the closest package he could find in the silence. “It has never been like that.”

As if to pay Spock back for letting him sweat, Leonard fired back, “you’d like it to be, though.” A statement, not a question, as if Leonard had seen it clear from their first moments in class. 

“I want whatever makes Jim happy.”

“So you don’t make him happy?”

“I have never been enough for Jim. I doubt one person ever would be.”

Leonard was quiet again at that and Spock trailed him into the box pasta aisle, although he had also ventured down it once. “I guess I can understand, at least as far as loving two people at once or something. Have you ever?”

“Before Jim? No. Now... if he asked me, if it was the right person.” Spock gave Leonard a long and measured look before walking away into the vegetable area, hand picking an abundance of things for Jim’s fridge and their shared breakfast. 

Evidently, Leonard was not scared off by that unsubtle look as he reappeared at Spock’s side, red in the face but otherwise stern looking. “You’re both horrible flirts.” He shoved two tomatoes and a bag of broccoli crowns into his own mismatched basket of cookies, soda, caffeine pills, and burger patties. “You might as well just be straightforward with me. We’re all adults here, not blushing teenagers.” He grumbled, staring only at the cabbage while he talked. 

“Come back to Jim’s apartment with me for breakfast, then.”

Leonard spluttered and turned redder still but did not say no. 

They crept back into the apartment; Leonard silent and twitchy with guilt. “Ought you be inviting strangers into Jim’s place?”

“You are not a stranger. He will be pleased.”

“I’ll cook breakfast at least. You should warn him or something.” Leonard did not wait for an answer, unpacking their bags and putting what Spock had purchased away into Jim’s fridge and whatever cabinet seemed appropriate.

Spock, obedient to the bone, slipped into Jim’s room and closed the door behind him. “Jim?” The mass of blankets grunted back at him and barely shifted. “Jim, I have a surprise for you.” Bleary blue eyes peeked through a fissure in the mass, blinking owlishly. 

“Surprise?”

“I ran into someone at the corner store while buying you breakfast ingredients. A handsome paramedic,” Spock said casually, sitting on the bed and kicking off his shoes. 

Jim sat up in a rush. “He’s here? He came here? Oh my god. I have to shower. I have to clean. Wait, I smell bacon. Is he cooking too?” 

“The fridge, by the way, Jim, was bare. How long have you put off getting groceries?”

“Spock!”

“Yes, he is cooking. He did not felt comfortable, once he had arrived, with intruding without your permission. I asked him,” Spock explained as Jim opened his mouth to no doubt continue questioning him, “because he said we were both unsubtle in our flirtations and should just be straightforward with him.”

Jim took that statement in stride, staring at the plastic stars stuck to the ceiling. “You were flirting?”

“There may have been flirtations.”

“You said you didn’t like him.”

“I said I did not know enough about him yet. I am finding that as I do, I enjoy his company. And he is quite attractive.”

A slow grin spread over Jim’s face and he leaned forward until he was on his hands and knees. He stretched to reach and laid a gentle kiss on Spock’s lips. “You’re cute too, you know.”

“Jim,” Spock whispered, thunderstruck by the simple kiss. Jim had never shown so much unambiguous romantic interest. 

Jim tried to kiss his forehead, half missed and kissed the top of his ear, giggling as he launched off the bed. “Gonna shower! Keep our guest entertained. Love ya.”

When Spock’s brain floated back into his body, he was dutifully cutting up vegetables and scrambling eggs for omelets while Leonard was plating bacon and brewing coffee. Leonard hummed while he cooked, swayed vaguely to the tune, and looked at home in the small kitchen. Spock wondered what it would be like to live with this. Jim’s cold nose to startle him awake; Leonard’s humming to soothe him as they cooked. 

“Bones!” Jim called gleefully when he finally bounded into the kitchen. His hair was still damp and his skin flushed from his short shower. He looked radiant. Spock turned back to his knife and cutting board, blinking to drive the dazzling effect away. 

“Who the hell is Bones?” Leonard asked, calm in the face of Jim turned up to the brightness of a freshly cresting sun. 

“Well you said you used to be a surgeon. Surgeons used to be called sawbones. Shortened to bones and it seemed to fit you. What, you don’t like nicknames?” 

“Not dumb ones, no.”

“You wound me, Bones. To think I was super sad I would have to wait a whole day to see you. How come you’re all charming with Spock at godforsaken hours of the morning but not with me?” 

Spock could practically hear the pout in Jim’s tone which was only a breath away from playful whining. 

“Maybe cause he calls me by my given name.” Leonard mumbled, more to himself, “And the nurturing quality about him is nice.” 

Spock looked up at that, barely holding back a smile. “I am pleased you think so, Leonard. Jim, take a seat at the breakfast table and stop pouting.”

“Am not, Spock.” 

“Jim, if your lip was out any farther, you’d get it got in a tripwire.” Leonard said firmly, “Sit down.” 

The tell-tale screech of a chair and Jim’s huff were all Spock needed. He quickly finished preparing his omelet for Jim and let Leonard scoop it onto one of the plates. They served Jim first, who did not wait for their own breakfasts to be done, and ate his immediately with loud, appreciative noises. By the time Leonard and Spock had their own food, Jim was bustling around the kitchen to pour two coffees and one cup of hot water. 

“Well, I guess there’s no point in coffee tomorrow if we’re doing it now, eh?” Jim chuckled, setting the sugar and cream on the table as well. He gave Leonard a coffee, put his own next to his empty plate, and handed Spock the steaming cup of water. “Green today?”

“Green and jasmine, please.”

“Got it.” Jim continued to chat about aimless things, letting Leonard eat and watch them, as he put loose tea into an infuser. He set it gingerly into Spock’s mug and took his own seat. “And Number One (she’s the worst, Bones) takes out these old-school, heavy suits to make us run drills in as punishment.”

Leonard held up a hand, staring at the tea infuser half in Spock’s cup, half perched on the rim. “Is that a narwhal?” 

“Oh, yeah. It was a christmas gift I got Spock but it stays here so I can make him tea when he comes over.”

“I do not drink coffee,” Spock explained. 

Leonard narrowed his eyes at Spock. “I don’t know if I can be in a relationship with a heathen.” 

“But you’d like to?” Jim asked, leaning so far over the table toward Leonard that his shirt was nearly in his coffee mug. “With both of us?” 

Purposefully, Leonard took a large bite of omelet, chewing and smacking his lips until Jim was almost ready to crawl across the table. 

Spock sipped his tea. It seemed inevitable but he supposed there was comfort in hearing a potential partner express mutual interest aloud. Their circumstances were unusual; this meeting of like minds extraordinary. Nothing about Leonard had been mundane or normal. He had fit so perfectly between Jim and Spock within days. If Spock had ever believed in fate, he might call their meeting such. 

“We’ll take it slow.” Leonard finally answered, pointing his fork at Jim. “There ought to be wooing and courtship. You’re not getting the milk off the cow for free.”

“What? Milk...?” 

“And furthermore, we’re all going to be working different schedules. I think, at first, we should only meet the three of us. If it stays comfortable, we might venture into more traditional couple dates so I can get to know y’all,” Leonard continued. Spock did not hide the look he gave Jim that said _clearly Leonard has thought long and hard on this already_. “And we’ve only known one another for a few days so I expect some real low key dates before anything big. This’ll be the last time I come over to your house, Jim, as I expect you have zero self control.”

Jim squawked indignantly. 

“I am agreeable to those terms, Leonard.” Under the table though, Spock could not help brushing his foot against Leonard’s. He was not reprimanded for it, although a high blush did settle on Leonard’s cheeks. 

“Guess I am too. Smarter,” Jim huffed. “Did you find out your fire station yet, anyway?”

“I’ll be at the 26. Just a few blocks down.”

Jim jumped from the table, whooping and hollering, while Spock leaned back into his own chair, equally satisfied. 

“What? What’s Station 26 to y’all? Oh. Oh no...”

“Oh yes!” Jim grabbed Spock out of his chair, making Spock twirl him as he laughed and bounced around. “That’s our station! And here you thought we’d have super different schedules. We’re going to see way too much of each other, I bet.”

“Oh god. I take everything back. Let’s not.”

“Too late,” Spock answered for Jim, as he dipped Jim expertly and brought him back up for another spin. “I am holding you to your own plan, Leonard.”

“I’m going to have so many regrets,” Leonard snarked at his coffee mug.


End file.
